Police: Ansonia Man Torched Car After Argument

Ansonia Police charged a Crescent Street man with torching his car early Friday morning after an argument with his girlfriend.

In a prepared statement, Lt. Patrick Lynch said police were sent to 4 Crescent St. about 12:10 a.m. after receiving a complaint of a car fire.

When officers arrived they found a 1999 Honda Accord “fully engulfed in fire” in the driveway of the home, about 10 feet from the house itself.

The home, which had four people inside, was evacuated.

Firefighters were able to put out the flames before they could spread to the house.

“Through their investigation officers learned the fire was set by Orlando Velez, age 32, of 4 Crescent St. after he had an argument with his girlfriend and she asked him to leave the home,” Lynch said. “Velez owned the Honda and he used his own clothes, which his girlfriend had packed in bags when she asked him to leave the home, to help start the fire.”

With the help of a police dog from Milford, cops tracked down Velez hiding in a backyard on Howard Street, Lynch said.

He was taken into custody without incident and confessed to starting the fire, according to Lynch.

Velez was charged with second-degree arson and first-degree reckless endangerment. He was held on $100,000 bond and was scheduled to be arraigned on the charges Friday at Superior Court in Derby.